Firewirks over Sydney Opera House

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

The Daily Mail - it MIGHT be right...

A lovely sunny evening walk up Bradwell Edge. As you know, I've just about been keeping in touch with my diet recently although going through a shaky phase. And Peridot is also dissatisfied with SW and wondering whether to jump ships in search of a better fit so the subject of what diet works for what person has been on my mind. So, when I noticed an article on this subject in the Mail Online (my secret vice....I only read it for the celebrity gossip, honest....) I had a look. And surprisingly the article struck a chord with me. This is either because it is sooooo obvious that it doesn't impart any new information or because it could have a point!

The article is in Femail and is called "Wise up to lose weight". The premise is that peoples' brains work differently (well, durr) and therefore they will have more or less sucess with different diets according to their "brain types". So far, so DM.

We are then divided up into 4 types - Compulsive, Impulsive, Emotional and Anxious. The handy mini questionnaire aided diagnoses (which was useful 'cos I would have put myself in Emotional from the blurb but I actually fell squarely into Impulsive). We were then diagnosed and different types of diets recommended for each brain type.

"Whaaat a Looad of Rubbish" I'm singing to myself as I read the article. (I don't usually give much credence to these sort of girly things...)

But then, as I read it, it seemed to make a lot of sense. I AM impulsive. I do fine when I'm sticking to the rules and I never PLAN to deviate but I just sort of do it! When I don't exercise, my diet also struggles. Booze affects the sucess of my diet. I know these are obvious in one way - but lots of dieting wisdom does NOT affect me. So it's a case of picking out the stuff that is relevant.

I am therefore recommended to follow a generally high protein, low-carb diet. Avoid/cut down on alcohol and sugar. And prioritise exercise.

When I am doing well, this is what works for me - ping - hello lightbulb!

I thought - "well, maybe this article is a load of guff and all the advice would apply equally". But, having read the advice relating to the other brain types, I realise that it would not be for me. For example a high-carb (Low-GI), gentle exercise (like yoga), grazing type regime....have tried that and it was useless.

This knowledge doesn't really change things much for me. I'm still going to carry on with SW because I can incorporate that sort of thinking into SW. And, to be honest, I don't follow the SW plan slavishly anyway; it's more about the accountability and turning up for class!! But I WILL re-emphasize high-protein, low carb food within SW and make an effort to keep up with the exercise. (That is one element which always mystifies me about SW - their lack of emphasis on exercise which is so very helpful for me.) I will also work on cutting right back on boozing opportunities given my lack of impulse control as this makes it even harder to keep to a diet.

So - it just goes to show - I thought I was flicking through the Mail Online for the stories about which Z list celeb now looks good/bad/scarily thin/curvilicious in a bikini but really I was learning....so there!!

(In my defence, I have answered many quiz questions on the back on my Mail Online habit....I was the only person in either team last Sunday who knew who Mrs Jamie Hince is. There are not many celeb/footballer marriages which escape my notice and don't get me started on Hollywood divorces or jailbirds....! I even know stuff about TOWIE, GS, the horrible Kardashians and MIC despite never having watched a minute of any of those execrable shows. Actually - that is not much of a defence is it?? In my defence, I do read lots of "good books" too!)

A blog following the progress of my life and weight after completing the Lighter Life diet back in 2007. I lost 9 stone and became slim and fit. Since then, the battle really started and I re-gained a couple or 3 of them back and am now learning how to live without the yo-yo gains and losses of my past.